In The Studio With Labrinth

In The Studio With Labrinth

From a studio in Wood Green to the Enterprise, Labrinth’s new single Last Time explores the world outside the window. We hooked up with the multi-instrumentalist to chat about working with Busta Rhymes and the sound of his childhood.

What gets your creative juices flowing when you’re in the studio?Labrinth: Anything can spark inspiration. I often record things on my phone if I'm buzzing off them.

How do you separate Labrinth ‘The Producer’ from Labrinth ‘The Singer’?Labrinth: I think working in a team helps, people tell you to shut up if you’re getting too full of yourself! I try to remember to give myself advice as an artist the way I would as a producer, which helps me keep on track. I have a routine when I'm performing; I take Berocca and do a big vocal warm up which makes me sound insane - like I'm one of the nutters on Wood Green High Street.

What sounds were you surrounded by growing up? Labrinth: Gospel, jazz and blues, it expanded as I learnt music and met more people. When I started producing I was working on house, dubstep, big beat and someone introduced me to John Coltrane, when I first heard Love Supreme it smashed my head, I could feel every note. Then I heard George Benson Give Me The Night and that made me want to learn guitar.

Tell us about a particularly memorable studio session? Labrinth: My proudest moment was working with Busta Rhymes, I grew up listening to his stuff, and when he said he was going to jump on Earthquake it was amazing.

Red Bull Studios London catch up with the genre defying multi-instrumentalist to talk about his love of Afrobeat and 70s jazz funk. Currently kicking it in America Lab is taking a little bit of Wood...